Carrot Pecan Muffins

Moist and fluffy, these carrot muffins are naturally sweetened with apple sauce and maple syrup, packed full of rolled oats, and filled with crunchy pecans making them a delicious and healthy snack.

I used to tell people (and sometimes still do) that muffins are cupcakes because, in reality, they are. I mean, compare any muffin recipe to any cupcake recipe and you are essentially looking at the same thing. The worst part of any muffins recipe is the type and amount of added sugar they contain, and the type of oil that they contain. Most conventional muffin recipes are made with refined sugar and processed vegetable oils, neither of which are a good idea. Not to mention, many grocery store muffins are made with extra preservatives and additives that don’t have any place in a healthy whole foods diet. Fortunately, with a few simple adjustments, you can make homemade muffins a whole lot healthier! Instead of processed sugar, I opted to use a natural sweetener, in this case maple syrup, and opted for coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, however you could also use butter or olive oil if you like.

This healthy carrot muffin recipe makes 12 fluffy muffins that you can use for quick grab-and-go breakfasts or healthy snacks.

Carrot Pecan Muffins

These healthy carrot muffins are naturally sweetened with maple syrup, packed full of rolled oats and loaded with crunchy pecans making them a delicious and healthy treat. I used ginger and nutmeg in my recipe, however, if you are not a fan you can simply omit them from the recipe.

Author:Stephanie Kay

Prep Time:10 minutes

Cook Time:20 minutes

Total Time:30 minutes

Yield:12 servings 1x

Category:Snacks, Desserts

Cuisine:Vegetarian, Dairy-Free

Scale

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups spelt flour or whole wheat flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger (optional)

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)

2 eggs

1 cup peeled and grated carrots (2–3 carrots)

1/2 cup apple sauce

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup pecans, roughly chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients; flour, rolled oats, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Stir with a wooden spoon to ensure everything is combined.

Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and using a wooden spoon or spatula and stir well to combine. Add in chopped pecans and stir gently into mixture.

Grease muffin tins with extra coconut oil or butter, or add muffin liners, and divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups.

Transfer muffin tray to the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool and run a butter knife along the outer edge of the muffins to loosen them from the pan. Allow muffins to cool slightly, about 5 minutes, and then remove from muffin tin to cool further.

Muffins can be stored at room temperature for 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.

HEY, I’M RED!

I’m a fiery and sassy nutritionist that loves real food. My mission? To change the way people look at food and teach them how to make real food work for real life, while having a lot of fun along the way. Learn More.